We met last Sunday afternoon at a special service at St Johns Belmont to celebrate the working together and collaboration across the Parishes of Cheam (St Oswald’s, St Dunstan’s and St Alban’s), St Johns Belmont and Christ Church with St Philip Worcester Park. People from all of the churches were there and we spoke about our concerns and our hopes for this group as we head forward together building closer links between us all.
One particularly special part of the service was the commissioning where objects from all of our churches were brought to the altar. As they were brought up we made some statements together speaking of what we want to do and how we want to be together.
For those that couldn’t be there this is what we said:
Together, by God’s grace, we will tell the good news of Christ to the world.
Together, by God’s grace, we will grow in our faith and discipleship.
Together, by God’s grace, we will be a Christ-like community of love.
Together, by God’s grace, we will worship God in spirit and in truth.
Together, by God’s grace, we will seek to be the living body of Christ.
Together, by God’s grace, we will walk in the way of the cross.
Together, by God’s grace, we will greet Christ in all who come.
Together, by God’s grace, we will journey together
Together, by God’s grace, we will seek new life in unexpected places.
We will continue to explore what working more closely together will mean in practice and how we can support each other in living out these statements.